Brownsville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brownsville, Texas 78522
Thursday, January 15, 1987 10:05 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

COMMERCIAL PILOT DEPARTED BROWNSVILLE, TX (BRO) ON SPECIAL VFR FLIGHT PLAN. DURING INITIAL CLIMB, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL BOTH ENGINES QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO UNIMPROVED FIELD. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT AND THREE PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 39 GALLONS OF FUEL IN TWO AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS. PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REACH FUEL STOP IN MEXICO IN COMPLIANCE WITH COMPANY POLICY. PILOT STATED THAT HE EXPERIECED A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING IN AN UNIMPROVED FIELD DUE TO FUEL STARVATION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REACH FUEL STOP IN MEXICO ON ONE OTHER OCCASION. IN BOTH INSTANCES REVENUE PASSENGERS WERE ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/15/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1005
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BROWNSVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78522
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BROWNSVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BRO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 130
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 948 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID BRO
Elevation of weather observation facility 22
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 354
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 15 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1150
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32196
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1590S
NTSB Number FTW87FA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 65-80
Aircraft Series Identifier 65-80
Aircraft Serial Number LD-27
Certified Max Gross Weight 8000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 6624
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name H.A.V. LEASING INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 1151
Aircraft Owner City HARLINGEN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78551
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1005
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MAM
Destination City MATAMOROS
Destination State MX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --